Cigarette Box Slide Lid Mechanism for Visual Appeal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cigarette boxes lack innovative opening and closing mechanisms that enhance user motivation and visual appeal, leading to a stale design that does not effectively increase buying motivation.

Innovation Solution

A cigarette box with a slide lid that reciprocates along the breadth of the box body, providing a novel opening and closing mechanism, and a blank set for forming the box, including an inner and outer case with a side opening for the slide lid, which enhances user interaction and appearance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a conventional hinged lid package is used, then the package structure is simple and familiar to users, but the package lacks visual attraction and user buying motivation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepackage structure simplicityVSAvoidvisual attraction and user buying motivation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing the static hinged lid with a slide lid that moves horizontally along guide rails. This dynamic opening mechanism transforms the package from a familiar static structure to an engaging interactive experience, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and visual attraction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements another dimension principle by changing the opening direction from the traditional vertical hinge rotation to horizontal sliding motion. This dimensional change creates a novel user interaction mode that enhances visual appeal while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized sliding components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a slide lid mechanism is implemented, then user buying motivation and visual appeal are enhanced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser buying motivation and visual appealVSAvoidopening and closing mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the lid system into distinct components: the slide lid itself, guide rails for motion control, and stoppers for position limitation. This segmentation manages complexity by creating modular, independently manufacturable parts that assemble into a cohesive mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses guide rails as an intermediary element between the slide lid and box body, enabling smooth horizontal motion while simplifying the connection mechanism. The stoppers act as intermediaries to define operational limits without requiring complex locking systems, thus enhancing user appeal while controlling device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the slide lid is allowed to reciprocate freely, then opening and closing operation is convenient, but the slide lid may come off the box body

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveopening and closing convenienceVSAvoidslide lid retention
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by incorporating stoppers that preemptively prevent the slide lid from exceeding its operational range. These stoppers are positioned to contact the slide lid before it can detach, providing a simple yet effective retention solution that maintains operational convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses dynamic retention through stoppers that engage only when the slide lid reaches its operational limits. During normal reciprocating motion, the slide lid moves freely for convenient operation, but the stoppers activate dynamically to prevent detachment, thus balancing ease of operation with reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP1923330B1Cigarette box and blank set for the same
Publication Date: 2011.05.04 JAPAN TOBACCO INC
  • EP1923330B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1923330B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1923330B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A cigarette box has a box body (2) enclosing a filter-cigarette inner pack and having an access opening (4) at the top thereof, and a slide lid (6) attached to cover an upper portion of the box body (2), where the slide lid (6) is allowed to reciprocate along the breadth of the box body (2) to open and close the access opening (4).